Medhi Benatia Faces Disciplinary Action for Refereeing Criticism in Olympique de Marseille Match
Medhi Benatia, the sports advisor to Olympique de Marseille president Pablo Longoria, is under scrutiny following his harsh remarks about the officiating during the recent OL-OM match. The Professional Football League's (LFP) disciplinary committee has summoned him after the National Ethics Council (CNE) referred his conduct for review. This incident occurred after Marseille's dramatic 3-2 victory, where Benatia criticized referee Benoît Bastien for his decisions, particularly the early sending off of Leonardo Balerdi.
Benatia's comments, made during an interview with DAZN, highlighted his frustration with the refereeing standards, stating, "There are too many questionable things about the first half and about the whole match." His outburst was captured on camera, showcasing his heated exchange with Bastien in the corridor of Groupama Stadium, where he expressed his dissatisfaction with the officiating decisions that he believed were biased against his team.
The CNE's president, Patrick Anton, condemned Benatia's behavior, labeling it as aggressive and unacceptable for a manager. Anton noted that such conduct could be seen as an attempt to exert pressure on referees, which could have serious repercussions. He remarked, "It is very vehement, but we consider that it is a calculated, controlled anger. Otherwise, he would have made insulting remarks."
Despite the victory, Benatia's comments have drawn significant criticism, with Anton highlighting that implying a conspiracy against Marseille is both serious and punishable. The disciplinary committee is set to meet on Wednesday to discuss the case, which could lead to sanctions similar to those imposed on other officials in the past for similar offenses. This incident underscores the ongoing tensions surrounding officiating in Ligue 1 and raises questions about the accountability of sports figures in their public statements.
